i always wear a helmet. after being bucked off and hitting my head on the ground, i am glad i wear one. my horse is pretty good on the trail (almost perfect) but i still wear one. me and my friend like to go fast on the trails in certain spots, so if we ever fell, a helmet would at least protect our head

Yes I do always wear a helmet because one fractured skull is enough in anyone's lifetime
I only wore one in competitions and hunting prior to that incident
I do think that people should do whatever they want though.

I always do.
I have rode two horses that bucked - but stayed on both of them. One I was lucky I didn't fall off because I wasn't wearing a helmet. That was the first time I was on a buckin horse. (it wasn't too bad of a buck but it was still pretty interesting.)

I wish one of the other horse memebers would wear a helmet, and you would not believe her reason for not wearing one.
This is what she said, "I don't wear helmets because the last time I did wear one I fell off my horse and landed on my back, but when my head hit the ground the helmet hurt my head."

The helmet hurt my head.... Well at least you didn't have to be rushed to the Hospital!!

Well I'm going to be the odd duck here and say sometimes. When I was little I wore one every time (and still make the kids who come out wear one) but when I grew a bit older I started to only wear on when I felt I had the highest chance of getting bucked off and trampled. Like when I ride my mare (and I'm not one to say this but I literally trust her with my life) I usually don't wear a helmet, if I'm riding her english that's a different story, as is bareback cantering. If I'm riding a training or spooky horse I wear a helmet. The horses that I don't wear a helmet on are ones that if they do spook it's mild and I've never had a problem sitting it or correcting it before it happens. If I don't know the horse like the back of my hand on my helmet goes.

ETA: I also see it that a helmet will do very little to protect your head if you fall head first (I witnessed this with a kiddo and it was frightening to say the least. Her helmet shattered and she had bits in her head.), or snap your neck.

That being said please don't berate me for not wearing one 100% of the time. It's my body and my potential mistakes. We're all entitled to our opinions and such.

Grew up having to wear a helmet and feel a little naked without it. I have ridden without, but no more.

My last accident, most serious so far meant that for a few weeks there I had to have someone feed me, and wipe my backside, TG I was wearing a helmet, because now I can look after myself again.

To me it goes a little beyond personal choice, my DH may have chosen to marry a horse rider, and he has been simply fantastic in his support through my recovery, but I would hate to burden him with looking after a brain damaged person because I didn't wear a helmet.

Well I'm going to be the odd duck here and say sometimes. When I was little I wore one every time (and still make the kids who come out wear one) but when I grew a bit older I started to only wear on when I felt I had the highest chance of getting bucked off and trampled. Like when I ride my mare (and I'm not one to say this but I literally trust her with my life) I usually don't wear a helmet, if I'm riding her english that's a different story, as is bareback cantering. If I'm riding a training or spooky horse I wear a helmet. The horses that I don't wear a helmet on are ones that if they do spook it's mild and I've never had a problem sitting it or correcting it before it happens. If I don't know the horse like the back of my hand on my helmet goes.

ETA: I also see it that a helmet will do very little to protect your head if you fall head first (I witnessed this with a kiddo and it was frightening to say the least. Her helmet shattered and she had bits in her head.), or snap your neck.

That being said please don't berate me for not wearing one 100% of the time. It's my body and my potential mistakes. We're all entitled to our opinions and such.

I can understand that. I think that if someone is getting a pony ride, the shouldnt have to wear a helmet because those horses should be very close to bomb proof with th screaming kids and all the action going on around. I think speople making you wear a helmet during pony rides are pretty much saying that something could happen. Same with pony rides in which the ponies have chains over their noses- it practically saying that its an unpredictable horse. When I was little I was helping my friend do pony rides at a parade. The horse did a dead stop and wouldn't move. Then we got it to move and when we were nearing back to the beginning, the horse did a giant buck and cantered back while bucking. The kid was ok but not wearing a helmet. Year later I looked back at a picture that was taken of me and my friend leading it, and I noticed it had a chain over it's nose... Not the most bombproof horse..

A little more than I was going to put I think I got some kind of point across!Posted via Mobile Device

I never used to ride with a helmet, I would only wear one for jumping lessons.
I can't believe how lucky I was, I used to ride a lot of greenies and other people's spoiled brats.

Now I always wear a helmet. If I'm riding someone else's horse it means I am out trail riding and we cover a lot of gravel/pavement/packed earth.

When riding my horse I would be stupid to not use all the precautions. She was declared 100% blind within the past month. We have just started under saddle again but what she does and does not react to is still being figured out.

The thought that mostly changed my mind on helmets was how much money and time I have spent on a university education. I don't want to risk losing that.

But this does lead me to a question: Do helmets expire?
I've had the same helmet for over 10 years. Every time I have come off a horse I've been borrowing one so there is no damage to it yet.

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